Musical drum



y 1965 w. GUSSAK 3,185,013

MUS I CAL DRUM Filed May 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

W/L L /A M GU55A K BY R W- GUSSAK MUS ICAL DRUM May 25, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 24 1963 than INVENTOR.

W/L L 04 M GUSSAK United States Patent O 3,135,013 MUSICAL nnrJM Wiiliam Gussalk, 31 Parker Ave, Deal, NJ. Filed May 24, 1963, Ser. No. 282,974 Claims. (G3. 84--411) This invention relates to musical instruments and refers more particularly to a drum which in use may be played as either a torn-tom or a bongo'drum.

There is disclosed in applicants US. Patent No. 2,204,987, now expired, a drum construction of a type which is played by beating the drum head with the fingers or drum sticks, while at the same time, the tone elfected may be varied by squeezing together the tensioning cords extending between the upper and lower drum heads. It has since been determined that this drum construction may be improved to facilitate holding the drum during playing, and to provide means for giving the drum the dual character of a tom-tom and a bongo drum.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved drum construction.

Another object is to provide a drum which in use may be played as either a tom-tom or a bongo drum.

Still another object is to provide a drum with special gripping means which facilitate holding the drum during playing.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent during the course of the following specification.

In achieving the aforementioned objectives of the present invention, it was found advantageous to provide a drum of the type which has an elongated shell having a cylindrical central section of reduced diameter, with a gripping device which encloses and is supported on the central section of the shell. The gripping device is provided with plate like elements at each side with which the player grips the drum and supports it between the knees or under one arm. The plate like elements are resiliently supported on the central section of the shell so that they may be moved radially of the shell to facilitate the movement of the players squeezing the tensioning cords which extend between the drum heads.

According to the invention, one of the drum heads may be made of a material which is best suited for creating the sound of a tom-tom, while the other drum head is made of a material suited for creating the sound of a bongo drum.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing showing by way of example, a preferred embodiment of the inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a drum constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view as taken along line IIII of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view on enlarged scale of the drum portion within the circle A of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view on enlarged scale of the drum portion Within the circle B of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the gripping device which is supported on the drum shell to facilitate the players gripping the drum during playing.

FIGURE '7 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a different embodiment of gripping device.

Throughout the specification, like reference numerals are used to designate like parts.

The drum 10 of the present invention comprises a hollow drum frame or shell 11, the central portion 12 of which is cylindrical in shape, and the terminal portions 13 and 14 of which are cup-shaped. A drum head 15 is stretched across the opening of terminal portion 13. The edge portion of the drum head 15 is wrapped around a retainer hoop 16 as shown in FIGURE 4. The retainer hoop 16 is provided with circumferentially spaced lugs 51 for supporting tensioning cords 17.

7 Drum head 15 is preferably made of goatskin so that when it is struck by the fingers or thumb coming into contact with the edge of the shell during playing, the sound created is that of a bongo drum.

Another drum head 18 is stretched across the opening of terminal portion 14 and is secured thereto by means of retainer hoop 19, around which the peripheral edge of the drum head is wrapped as shown in FIGURE 5. The retainer hoops 19 is provided with circuinferentially spaced lugs 52 for supporting tensioning cords 17, and is stepped as shown in FIGURE 5 so that a portion 20 thereof extends aXially beyond the fiat playing surface of drum head 18. Drum head 18 is preferably made of a plastic or calfskin so that the sound created when it is struck during playing is that of a tom-tom.

In wrapping the edge portions of the drum heads over the retainer hoops, the drum head may be directly wrapped over the lug 51 as seen in FIGURE 4, or the drum head may be slit to receive the projecting lugs 52 as shown in FIGURE 5.

The tensioning cords 17 extending between drum heads 15 and 18 are arranged to extend in loops over the lugs 51 and 52 as shown rather than being looped through and over the edges of the drum heads as was the case in prior art construction. This contributes a reduced friction contact between the tensing cords and the material of the drum heads which results in a longer life in both and makes for easier replacement. As shown in FIGURE 1, the loops in the tensi-oning cords 17 engage on the lugs 51 of drum head 15 at locations which are circumferentially staggered relatively to the location where the loops engage the lugs 52 on drum head 18.

Adjustable slide clamps (not shown) may be carried by the tensioning cords 17 for varying the effective lengths thereof so as to lessen or increase the tension in the drum heads 15 and 18.

Drum head 15 is played by striking it with the fingers or thumb to produce the sound of a bongo. Dru-m head 18 is played by striking it with regulation drum or timbale sticks to produce so-called rim shots, the latter being possible due to the projection of an edge portion 20 of the drum head beyond the playing surface. In either case however, the drum 10 is positioned under one arm or is held between the knees of the player. In this manner the player can squeeze the tensioning cords inwardly towards the central portion 12 of shell 11 to tense the drum heads and thus vary the tone of the sound produced by merely applying arm or knee pressure.

To facilitate holding the drum and applying pressure to squeeze the tensioning cords, a gripping device is provided. The gripping device comprises a split ring strap 31 which encloses the central portion 12 of shell 11 and is connected thereto by flanges 32 and 33 at the ends of the strap through which is passed fasteners 34 such as rivets and like. Firmly connected with the strap at opposite sides, are cylinders 35 and 36 wherein are supported sliding rods 37 and 38 respectively. The sliding rods have enlarged ends for retaining them within the cylinders, and are connected with springs 39 and 40 supported within cylinders 35 and 36 respectively. The sliding rods each carry a gripping plate 41 which is a relatively thin member of accurate profile as best seen in FIGURE 2. In use the player places the drum between his knees, with the knees engaging the gripping plates 41. By squeezing his knees together he overcomes the fonce of springs 39 and 40, and the gripping plates 41 are moved inwardly towards the shell 11 from the position shown in solid lines in FIGURE 2 to the position shown in broken lines. At the same time, the tensioning cords will be squeezed as previously described for tone variation. Thus the player has a firm grip on the drum for playing while at the same time, the pressure he exerts with his knees will vary the tone of the sound produced by the drum.

FIGURE 7 shows a somewhat different embodiment of gripping device 66 which extends through the central position 12 of the shell of the drum. It does not thereby effect the tones produced by the drum. The gripping device comprises a hollow cylindrical barrel 61 which extends through central portion 12 perpendicular to the axis thereof. Supported within barrel a1 and extending outwardly from each end thereof are sliding rods 62 and 63 which carry respectively, gripping plates 64 and as. The sliding rods are provided with concentric retainer rings 66 to prevent them from being Withdrawn from barrel 61. Each sliding rod is provided with an axial passage 67 for receiving an expansion spring as which acts to urge the sliding rods outwardly radially of the central portion 12. In use the gripping device 60 operates in the same manner as the previously described gripping device 30.

While there is above disclosed but some embodiments of the musical drum of the present invention, it is possible to produce still other embodiments without departing from the scope of the inventive concept herein disclosed.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a musical drum having a cylindrically shaped central portion and enlarged outwardly curved cup-shaped open end portions, drum heads of different materials covering each of said open end portions and stretching means for maintaining each of said drum heads in a tensioned condition over said open end portions; a device for simultaneously gripping and tuning said drum during playing, said device comprising knee rest portions, means resiliently supporting said knee rest portions upon said central portion, and .a plurality of tensioning cords extending over said knee rest portions and interconnecting said stretching means, whereby pressure exerted by the knees upon said knee rest portions will simultaneously vary the tensioning of said tensioning cords, so that the drum can be simultaneously gripped, tuned and played.

2. A gripping and tuning device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said knee rest portions are located on opposite sides of said central portion and wherein the means resiliently supporting said knee rest portions comprise sliding rods firmly connected with said knee rest portions, means engaging said sliding rods and said central portion, and spring elements between the last-mentioned means and said sliding rods, said spring elements normally biasing outwardly said sliding rods along with said knee rest portions.

3. A gripping and tuning device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the last-mentioned means comprise a strap movably mounted upon said central portion of the drum and cylinders carried by said strap, said cylinders containing said spring elements and receiving the ends of said sliding rods, whereby said knee rest portions are swingable relatively to said central portion.

4. A gripping and tuning device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the last-mentioned means comprise a barrel located within said central portion of the drum, said barrel containing said spring elements and receiving the ends of said sliding rods.

5. In combination with a musical drum having a cylindrically shaped central portion and enlarged outwardly curved cup-shaped open end portions, drum heads of different materials covering each of said open end portions, hoops maintaining each of said drum heads in a tensioned condition over said open end portions and a plurality of lugs firmly connected with each of said hoop members in circumferential spaced relation thereon; a device for simultaneously gripping and tuning said drum during playing, said device comprising knee rest portions, means resiliently supporting said knee rest portions upon said central portion, and a plurality of tensioning cords extending over said knee rest portions and carried by said lugs, whereby pressure exerted by the knees upon said knee rest portions will simultaneously vary the tensioning of said tensioning cords, so that the drum can be simultaneously gripped, tuned and played.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 254,143 2/82 Knapp 84-421 373,873 11/87 Wurlitzer 84421 633,488 9/99 Reed 84-421 1,285,802 11/18 Russell 84-327 2,204,987 6/40 Gussak 84412 2,990,745 7/6'1 C asavant 84-421 3,021,744 2/62 K-ester 84-421 0 LEYIJAND M. MARTIN, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MUSICAL DRUM HAVING A CYLINDRICALLY SHAPED CENTRAL PORTION AND ENLARGED OUTWARDLY CUP-SHAPED OPEN END PORTIONS, DRUM HEADS OF DIFFERENT MATERIALS COVERING EACH OF SAID OPEN END PORTIONS AND STRECTCHING MEANS FOR MAINTAINING EACH OF SAID DRUM HEADS IN A TENSIONED CONDITION OVER SAID OPEN END PORTIONS; A DEVICE FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY GRIPPING AND TUNING SAID DRUM DULLING PLAYING, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING KNEE REST PORTIONS, MEANS RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING SAID KNEE REST PORTIONS UPON SAID CENTRAL PORTION, AND A PLURALITY OF TENSIONING CORDS EXTENDING OVER SAID KNEE REST PORTIONS AND INTERCONNECTING SAID STRETCHING MEANS, WHEREBY PRESSURE EXERTED BY THE KNEES UPON SAID KNEE REST PORTIONS WILL SIMULTANEOUSLY VARY THE TENSIONING OF SAID TENSIONING CORDS, SO THAT THE DRUM CAN BE SIMULTANEOUSLY GRIPPED, TUNED AND PLAYED. 